Before the Cemetery: Mission Tolomato and Its People. A presentation by Dr. Susan Parker

Before it was a cemetery, Tolomato Cemetery was a Franciscan-staffed mission village for a group of Guale Indians, originally from Georgia, who had settled along the banks of the Tolomato River (currently, Guana River State Park) and were forced to flee to St Augustine to escape the early 18th century attacks of British colonists from Georgia and South Carolina.  The mission village period came to an end with the departure of the Spanish and Indians and the arrival of the British in 1764.

Dr. Parker has researched the Tolomato village and its people for over 25 years, and she will present the interesting story of these families, their relationship with the Spanish families living in that area of St Augustine, and life in one of St. Augustine’s refugee Indian mission villages.  The talk will be presented at the St Augustine Art Association.